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mechanical engineering
design
editorial
Generational Sandwich
by John G. Falcioni, Editor-In-Chief
A local radio affiliate in new york last
month began a series on what is termed the Sandwich Generation—those
of us sandwiched between aging parents and our own children, who both
need our care. It's not an easy predicament; I can personally attest
to it.
As the population of the world lives longer, the so-called Sandwich Generation,
typically in their 40s and 50s, is challenged to devote enough time to
parents and children and still find some time for themselves.
Engineers, too, have inherited the sandwich problem, as many products
must be designed to serve the needs of both the young and the old.
Gayle Ehrenman, the editor of this supplement, illustrates in a case study
that begins on page 8 how the airline industry is addressing primarily
the needs of an aging population. Making an airplane seat that is comfortable
enough for the ever-more-brittle backs of seniors, comfortable for the
6-year-old child, and supportive enough for the 25-year-old can be as
difficult a task as it sounds. It can be as difficult as navigating the
intricacies of caring for our dependents.
From Start to Finish
by Gayle Ehrenman, Supplement Editor |
In most cases, the design
process starts with an abstract concept and moves toward the concrete.
Of course, progressing from the germ of an idea to a finished product
is often a long and arduous journey.
For a team from the Boeing Payload Concepts Center, the germ of an
idea for new design guidelines began with the recognition that in
2011, the Baby Boomer generation will begin to turn 65, and that by
2030, one in five people in the United States will be 65 or older.
That discovery launched the team into a lengthy research project to
uncover what happens to the human body, and its abilities, as it ages,
and how that aging body manages in an airplane. When the team realized
that much about the current design of airplane cabins wasn't
user-friendly for a rapidly aging population, it set out to create
a set of new design guidelines that would better address the needs
of this future passenger demographic.
Moving from abstract concept to even the most rudimentary prototype
requires lots of decisions and clear communications. Daniel Frey and
Kemper Lewis explore some of the research methods being used to understand
and improve upon the decision-making process in design. As they point
out, every good designer needs to first be a skilled decision-maker.
Even good decisions can quickly turn bad, unless designers can effectively
communicate their ideas to the rest of the engineering team. Associate
Editor Jean Thilmany explains how one set of researchers is applying
a storytelling model to the process of designing a new consumer product.
Those researchers hope that by analyzing how a team communicates in
the telling of its design tale, they'll be able to distinguish
the successful teams from the flops.
Understanding the needs of the consumer, the way the design process
unfolds, and how best to communicate can only help make the long road
from idea to market less bumpy.
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© 2005 by The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers
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